Sunday, February 2, 2014

Valentine's Day. Sweet, sweet Valentine's Day. A day to tell those most special to you how very much you care about them. This day also stands as a tribute to many, many wives and girlfriends who deserve a major acting award for their response when presented with their Valentine's Day gift.I am compelled to offer some unsolicited advice to the men-folks out there about what NOT to get your lovely lady for Valentine's Day. Please do not take this the wrong way. I only have the best of intentions, and am sincerely just trying to offer my assistance. Really I am. I am doing this to help you - which in turn will help all my sisters out there who have suffered way too much for way too long.I guess I will just be direct. Here goes. We don't want a stuffed Teddy Bear for Valentine's Day. Even if it comes with a bud vase and a red rose. Even if that red rose comes with some little white Baby's Breath. Even if. Same goes for a stuffed Bunny, Cat, Dog, Frog, Duck, Heart, Cupid or any other toy that is appropriate for a 7 year old but not a grown damn woman. There you have it. Sorry if that sounded harsh, but I am trying to make a point here. While I am being "direct", we also don't want a heart shaped box of Russell Stover chocolates (most of which are inedible with some kind of spongy orange or pink goo in the middle) from the corner Walgreens. I mean, Really? You can do better than that.... right?I know how and why it happens. The anxiety builds all week. Subtle (or not so) hints are flying around the room like those scary monkeys on the Wizard of Oz. Pressure! The most important thing is to NOT forget to get her something. You are on your way home from a long day at work and there it is... that big, white tent in the grocery store parking lot. It beckons you like the ghost St. Valentine's himself. With a sigh of relief you pull in with all the other panicked gentlemen in town and then they have you - hook, line and sinker! The rows and rows of bud vases, stuffed animals, heart shaped candy boxes and Mylar balloons is overwhelming so you just grab one of each and head on home.And then, sweet sir, comes the hard part for us. We love you. Adore you actually, and would rather take a beating than hurt your feelings. You come in, all proud (and relieved) that you didn't forget this year, and present us with a little white teddy bear sporting a plaid jacket and the cutest red bow ever - and he is holding a bud vase with a gorgeous red rose (and the mandatory baby's breath) and there is a big silver heart shaped balloon which tells us how very much you love us. We breathe... we smile... and then hug you and tell you how very sweet you are (which you really are by the way). But...Even if you show this to your lovely, she will deny that she feels like I do. But she does. You just have to trust me on this. Save the Teddy for you daughter or niece, and get your wife something that speaks to her. Who is she? What does she like to do? What is her personality? Very expensive jewelry? Not necessary. Fancy, elaborate, secret plans? Not necessary. All that is required is to think about who she is and get her something that shows you took that into consideration.. .that you really thought about it and chose something accordingly. You do that and you will have hit a home run! Hero status. Man on Fire.Speaking of hook... Rosemary's Kitchen has some great ideas for Valentine's Day gifts! Now you are probably suspicious that I just made all that up so I could try to sell you some stuff... but not true! There may not be anything here that would speak to you - or her - but here are some ideas to get you moving in the right direction.

HONEY BEE MINE.......

This is a beautiful product - gorgeous glass jars (topped in wax) with different types of honey. This local honey would make the sweetest gift basket, especially when paired up with a honey dipper.

TEA for TWO.... (Me for You and You for Me)

This lovely pink teapot would make a charming gift for anyone that like to drink hot tea! You could create a gift basket with a variety of tea blends and a unique tea ball infuser!

Here is the same tea pot in red, which would also be a perfect Valentine's Day gift!

HEY HEY GOOD LOOKIN' - WHAT YA GOT COOKIN?

Heart- Shaped Pasta! Wouldn't this be cute in a basket with some cooking gadgets or organic olive oil? Perfect gift for someone that loves to cook! We also have the most gorgeous cutting boards I have ever seen. Come browse the gift shop and see what speaks to you!

ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART!

We have some lovely cocktail mixes like this one for a Cosmopolitan. We also have Bloody Mary Mix and Margarita Mix as well! One of these mixes paired up with a cute wine accessory or glass and some nuts or snacks to munch on... now that would be a great gift! We have some beautiful wine bottle stoppers that would be a lovely addition to a gift of her favorite wine!

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER...

We have a large selection of unique coffee / tea mugs - you are sure to find one with just the perfect saying for someone special, a dear friend, the best teacher ever, or your helpful neighbor. Add in some special flavored coffee beans or special tea blends for a wonderful surprise! You could also fill the mug with candy for a special treat.

I AM NUTS ABOUT YOU

This is the cutest little nutcracker ever! Harry would make a wonderful gift, especially in a basket with a bag of nuts. You have to admit this would make a better gift than a stuffed squirrel, right? Just too cute!

REMEMBER HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

This cook's string and stainless string holder will come in so handy. I use it for all kinds of things from packages to poultry. You sweetheart will love it, especially if you cut a piece of string, and tie it around her finger and tell her to never forget how much you love her. Awwwww! I am telling you - Home Run!

We also have lots of home made treats (heart shaped chocolate whoopie pies, chocolate dipped pretzels, etc --- MUCH more impressive than the drug store candy boxes.

Just call me if you need any advice! I am sure to help you come up with an idea that will turn you into a Knight in Shining Honor!

Friday, January 10, 2014

I was looking out the window and thinking “what a dreary day”.The sky was gray and looked like the water left in the sink after the soap suds had long since fizzled away. The grass was mostly brown and lifeless, and the bare branches on the elm tree were just standing there, naked, with no shame, just exposing themselves.I felt embarrassed for them somehow.

And then – I can’t tell you why – I decided to turn that around. I decided to not be grumpy. I had already moved away from the window, sulking.I hesitated and then returned to look out the window again.Could nature have transformed itself so rapidly?The sky was still gray, but this time it had a silvery cast.Not shiny and gaudy, but still elegant, like the dull sheen of a favorite piece of tarnished silver jewelry.I didn’t notice the brown grass so much this time, but now saw there were little patches of green all throughout – just poking up here and there in defiance and victory at having done more than just survive.The naked branches were now graceful and poised and seemed proud of their profile against the pewter sky, not ashamed in the least that every scar, every knot, every flake and scab on the crooked branches was exposed to scrutiny.The tree’s cast-off clothes were being thrashed about by a small flock of brown sparrows, rummaging through the piles of leaves like bargain hunters converged on a sale table at the Good Will. There was just so much to see, and as a result, so much to feel.So much to feel good about.So much to celebrate.

This time when I turned away from the window, I was not moping, but rather giddy at this astonishing shift of perspective.I wanted to celebrate winter.I wanted a way to internalize the naked, proud tree. Then it hit me.Soup.I had to make soup. A big bowl of warm, cozy, happy, satisfying soup.Soup for all. Nothing else would do.

I literally skipped to the kitchen to see what was in the larder. (No, I must admit that I have never actually used the word larder in an out-loud conversation.. but, I like the word larder.It must be lonely sometimes – always being shoved to the back and having the words ‘pantry’ or ‘storeroom’ or ‘cupboard’ elbowing their way up front. Greedy little words). OK, here I am, back at the larder.What did I have?Sweet potatoes (although a few had started to open their eyes and were staring at me with little white lids) and onions.Always a good start.What else?I had some carrots in the fridge, and although they seemed a little dry, I had confidence they would perk on up once they jumped in the pool. I went to the other larder (see, it sounded more natural that time, didn’t it?) which is in the next room in the closet (the joys of living in an old house with limited storage). I needed some sort of grain or ….. lentils!I had a bag of red (or brown?)lentils purchased several months back.After checking to make sure that moths (otherwise known as “the evasive little bastards”) hadn’t invaded the bag, I decided on a Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup made with coconut milk and Indian Spices. And I decided to top it with some sautéed apple.

So – I will sum this up to tell you that it was a perfect soup for a perfectly beautiful day.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I hope you enjoy the rest of winter. Find beauty. Find beauty everywhere.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

2 T butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, chopped

4 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp mild curry powder

½ tsp tumeric

1 cup uncooked red lentils – rinsed and drained

3 cups water

1 can coconut milk (regular or light)

Salt / Fresh Pepper to taste

Topping

1 T butter

1 apple, chopped

½ tsp cumin

EVOO

Melt the butter and add the onion and sauté for a few minutes.Add the sweet potato, carrots and thyme and other spices. Heat for a few minutes to wake up the spices.Add the water, coconut milk, lentils, salt and pepper.Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes and lentil are soft.

While this is simmering, prepare the topping.Heat butter in a skillet and add apple and cumin and sautee until apples soft but not mushy.

Use an immersion blender to puree it all until thick smooth. Add more water or coconut milk if too thick for your liking. Top with sautéed apple and a little drizzle of olive oil (and few more leaves of thyme if you like).

Options:
Do not puree it, but rather leave it a little chunky. I did not have an immersion blender when I made this (because I made this at my home in Stonewall and both my blenders were at the restaurant in Ruston), so I just mashed it up a bit with my potato masher. Either way. Whatever you feel like.

Serve it over rice, esp if you simmered it until thick and did not puree.

Top with a drizzle of molasses ... or sautéed spinach... or pumpkin seeds... or pomegranate seeds... or whatever little thing comes to your mind.

If you can't find garam masala spice - just add a pinch each of cinnamon, ground coriander, ground clove, ground cardamom. Add more curry if you want. Add hot curry powder or paste or cayenne pepper or dried chili if you want it to have some heat.

This is a vegan soup, but if you wanted, you could use chicken broth instead of some of the water. You could also add shredded cooked chicken if you felt you had to have some meat in it.